Carol of Faribault: "I'm Older Than Dirt and remember State Fairs when cars still parked along the streets within the Fairgrounds, the old glass-domed Ag-Hort Building and Machinery Hill when it had farm machinery.

"This year, some talked about not allowing pigs at the Fair because of the danger of swine flu in people. It reminded me of a time in the mid-1940s when the State Fair was canceled because of a polio epidemic. I was disappointed because I had won a 4-H trip to the Fair, and there was no Fair. Many schools started two weeks late.

"About 10 years after the epidemic years, I had polio, which left me with permanent physical limitations. It was a life-changing event. I remember the sounds of the iron lungs during the night, the standing beds, the challenges of relearning things such as eating, writing and walking.

"I hope the parents who do not want their children vaccinated never experience a disabling case of polio in their children.

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Our times

D. Ziner, Rfcsg.: "Subject: Earworm applications.

"That six-hour time difference during the London Summer Olympics gave me some problems, because news that I did not want to hear came on before I could get to the mute button or the volume control. Rarely would there be a warning, and even then, rarely did it give me enough time to take visual and/or auditory cover. Sometimes, the lead-in would even include the opening bars of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' Yeah, so guess who already won the gold medal. Fortunately, I had that 'Olympic Fanfare' as an earworm for just about the entire time, and depending on where I was, I could turn my head away -- if needed -- and just start singing that music as loud as I dared. It was very convenient to have it right there waiting for a cue, and I could drown out any incoming news.

"Now I'm trying to apply to the election seasons a similar technique of vocalizing self-inflicted earworms. There is good evidence that we are swayed -- whether we are firmly against it or not -- by sound bites, marketing devices, and sales pitches. We can even have a portion of our brains convinced of something that we know not to be true if we hear the untruth with enough repetitions. So I've determined to watch or listen to as few of the paid political pieces as is possible. I'm trying to superimpose them with 'Baby Elephant Walk' for the GOP and 'Donkey Serenade' for the Democrats, but neither tune seems to naturally take hold in my noggin.

"I'm open to other suggestions."

Hmmmmmmmm

The Saint Paul Snail: "Chance placed into my hand an ironic note that serves as a kind of commentary on our world today. The note reads: 'Sorry, loyalty is currently not available. Please try again later.'

"One could read this as a recognition that members of our society are not showing loyalty to each other, but hope remains that this may change if we strive to earn and bestow loyalty in the future.

"Or, one could recognize the more mundane meaning, which is that stormy weather keeps outdoor wireless networks from making connections to central servers to verify that a loyalty-program card has been tendered and that no information about the card can be found.

"There goes mundane reality ruining a perfectly good metaphor."

Keeping your eyes open

Al B of Hartland: "I sat in an auto-repair place. I was preparing myself to tremble pitifully as they tabulated my bill.

"I looked out an enormous window and watched a squirrel scamper. That's what squirrels do.

"American white pelicans flew over in squadrons in tight formation over the street. I imagined their shadows falling upon passing cars.

"Turkey vultures circled over the repair shop, as if they might find a dead car to be a delectable dish.

"I spotted several warblers flitting about in landscaped vegetation.

"I have been on a whale-watching trip. It was a righteous endeavor. It was no more exciting than the wildlife-watching trip I took without leaving a chair in the waiting room of an auto repair enterprise."

See world

A close encounter of the natural kind, reported by Peggy T of Osceola, Wis.: "Yesterday, a downy woodpecker and I met eyeball-to-eyeball.

"I was picking sweet peas, and she was going to feed on the suet. We were both startled. She moved a safe distance away and continued to watch me and scold me for invading her territory.

"I think she also drinks from one of the hummingbird feeders, so she feels quite welcome here."

Our birds, ourselves

The D in Scandia: "It is the time of year when we have to decide how many jars of grape jelly we need to buy. The orioles are due to leave, but we don't want them to leave hungry.

"Over the years, the number of orioles coming to our feeder has increased greatly.

"This year there seems to have been a population explosion. We don't think the jelly drain can be blamed on the occasional chickadee we have seen on the deck rail with purple glop on its beak.

"For some reason, about a month ago we had more orioles than we had places for, and Roomie had to rig up an emergency feeder consisting of an aluminum pie plate, an old planter hanger, and a custard cup. It is still up there, and our well-mannered orioles (unlike our squabbling hummingbirds) are lining up to use both the new and the old feeders.

"It's off to the store again for still more jelly. Somehow the phrase 'When pigs fly' keeps going through my head."

Life as we know it

Better late than never, a report from Anne Nonny Mouse: "My husband has a hand-carved wooden half-moon with a face, which hung from the ceiling over his desk by fishing line. One of our little grandsons, Baby Jack, would toddle into Grandpa's office, and, as Grandpa was working at his desk, he'd hold up his little arms for Grandpa to pick him up. Grandpa would pick him up and hold him, and he'd give the moon a 'spin' to entertain his little grandson. This became their ritual, as the baby would continually visit Grandpa in his office, hold his arms out to be picked up and then point to the moon.

"One day we decided that, with two grandsons, we needed a babies' room more than an office, so Grandpa moved out and a baby crib appeared. The moon stayed, and it so happened that it now hangs directly (and high above) the baby crib. Every time Baby Jack gets up from a nap, he gathers up his baby blankets, ready to be picked up, and then points at the moon, waiting for us to make it spin. Occasionally, he'll stand up in his crib, pull his naptime-only-pacifier out of his mouth and say 'Moon.' It's the funniest things that fascinate kids and inspire sweet moments.

"I had bought that moon for my husband a few years back, at the State Fair, because he collects half-moon art. The booth with the beautiful carved moons is there every year, in the International Market. I am looking forward to getting to the Fair soon, to look for a moon for each of the grandbabies, to go over their cribs at home so they can wake up to their own moon.